Tuesday, May 08, 2007 Editorials: Bantayan Island problem
THERE is reason why the Commission on Elections (Comelec) initially refused to place any area in Cebu under its control.
Provincial Election Supervisor Lionel Castillano, who is also Comelec 7 regional attorney, cited one requirement for the poll body to do so: serious armed threat.
The word “serious” is subjective, which means that how “serious” is “serious” is dependent on Comelec’s interpretation. Besides, there’s the burden on the poll body.
It will be forced to take over the political activities in the towns and cities, including some administrative functions, like the disbursement of funds.
Decision time
In calls to place Bantayan Island under Comelec control, one should not therefore be surprised that local Comelec officials earlier dilly-dallied.
This even if reports said that the police and the military, which has a force deployed in the island, have already called on Comelec to do so.
Balancing between two extremes is always difficult.
But with Election Day but less than a week away, a decision must be made.
Developments
It’s good therefore that Castillano finally joined local police and military officials in recommending that the whole of Bantayan Island be placed under Comelec control.
Obviously incorporated in that decision-making process were the developments in the past couple of weeks and whatever additional intelligence information was gathered from the place.
The killing of Sta. Fe mayoralty bet Rogelio Ilustrisimo Sr. may have been done in far away Cebu City, but its effect on the conduct of the elections may have been considered.
Then there was the arrest of five armed men of Madridejos Mayor Lety Mancio, which may not have been an isolated incident but is the tip of the proverbial iceberg.
Political groups arming themselves pose danger to voters come voting day.
Being decisive
The ball is now therefore in the hands of Comelec Commissioner Resureccion Borra, commissioner-in-charge for Central Visayas, and he must speed up the decision-making process.
The worst thing to happen is when violence does erupt in the area in the next few days with top Comelec officials still unable to decide on what to do there.
In this sense, being decisive is the call of the hour.
